LG Electronics, the world's third-largest handset maker, announced it will open its own version of an 'App Store', on Tuesday. The LG Application Store will initially open to Asia region in 15 languages offering 1,400 applications. Here is more info:

"Unlike other mobile phone manufacturers, LG's Application Store is not intended to be a new or separate business model," said Skott Ahn, CEO of LG Mobile. "It's an added-value service that comes with LG's high-end phone and smartphone ownership."

LG plans to expand its App Store to up to 24 countries, including European countries with over 2,000 applications, by end of this year. In the long term, LG will develop its App Store as an "Open Operating System Market", which can be used by all consumers, mobile operators and content providers.

To support developers, LG has revamped the 'LG Mobile Developer Network', which launched last December for mobile phone developers, to sell or distribute easily from the App Store and distribute a Widget software development kit.